An apparatus that forms a temporary seal to keep the sections of a drain pipe that are not clogged isolated from the regions that are clogged, is described. The temporary seal prevents high pressure applied in the drain pipe to dissipate over the unclogged sections, to maintain the pressure required to remove the clog. The apparatus includes a bladder attached to one end of a conduit. A dual valve connector is attached to the other end of the conduit. The dual valve connector allows connection of the apparatus to a source for gaseous pressure for inflation of the bladder and, retains the pressurized gas inside the bladder so that the seal is maintained during the removal of the clog.

The invention relates to an intervention method for acting on the wall of a fluid pipeline by using a tool comprising a pipe segment and at least first means for creating sealing and second means for creating sealing, the method comprising a step of moving the tool inside the pipeline until the pipe segment is positioned facing a zone of the wall of said pipeline, the method further comprising a step of creating sealing upstream and downstream from said zone respectively by using the first and second means for creating sealing so as to seal off an outer portion of a segment of the pipeline around said zone, followed by a step of acting on said zone of the wall.

A method assisting the movement of a tool within a pipeline to a distal direction with respect to the point of entry to provide remediation within the pipeline by pumping a volume of fluid into the front of tool through a motor and having the motor drive a pump which removes more volume from the front of the pig than was pumped into it, thereby causing a relative vacuum in front of the tool.

The disclosure relates to a gripping plug for use in a pipe wherein the pipe defines an inside radius, having: a wedge cone; a first plurality of discrete gripping devices slidably engaged with the wedge cone; a second plurality of discrete gripping devices slidably engaged with the wedge cone; a first plurality of studs connected to each of the first plurality of discrete gripping devices, where each of the first plurality of studs define a first stud length; and a second plurality of studs connected to each of the second plurality of discrete gripping devices, wherein each of the second plurality of studs define a second stud length.

A seal assembly for a pipeline plug may include a pressure head including a forcing face. The seal assembly may include a primary tapered ring including an expansion face. The expansion face may abut the forcing face. The seal assembly may include primary seal ring. The seal assembly may include a squeezer assembly, the squeezer assembly including at least one seal face, the seal face abutting the primary seal ring. The seal assembly may include a secondary tapered ring, the secondary tapered ring including a wedge squeezer face, the wedge squeezer face abutting a wedge face of the squeezer assembly. The seal assembly may include a bowl, the bowl including a wedge face, the wedge face in abutment with an expansion face of the secondary tapered ring.

A fluid-transferring expander, wherein a tube is disposed through a bladder structure, an expansion space is formed between the tube and the bladder structure, the tube is continuously extrudedly formed, the tube is formed with a first passage connected with a first fluid source and a second passage connected with a second fluid source and outside therein, and the tube is further formed with a through hole communicating with the expansion space and the first passage.

An isolation plug for location in a section of pipe has three separate plug modules: a tug module an isolation module and a drag module. In use, the plug can be transported along the pipe and activated by a fluid pressure differential in the pipe.

The disclosure relates to a gripping apparatus, for use in connecting to a pipe wherein the pipe defines an inside radius, the apparatus having at least one discrete gripping device mounted on a body, wherein the body is a wedge cone; an outer surface on each of the at least one discrete gripping device, wherein the outer surface has a transition surface defined by a means for reducing any sharp transition point; a collective actuation-retraction mechanism connected to the wedge cone and to each of the at least one discrete gripping device; and a collective extension-retractable mechanism connected to each of at least one discrete gripping device. The disclosure further relates to an alternative exemplary embodiment wherein the gripping apparatus further includes a spring, wherein the spring pre-biases each of the at least one discrete gripping device beyond the inside radius of the pipe to instantly grip the inside radius.

The disclosure relates to a gripping plug for use in a pipe wherein the pipe defines an inside radius, having a body of the gripping plug; an angled slot defined on the body; a first discrete gripping device slidably engaged with the angled slot and biased beyond the inside radius of the pipe; a wedge cone of the gripping plug; and a second discrete gripping device slidably engaged with the wedge code, wherein the second discrete gripping device is disengaged with the inside radius of the pipe.

A gripping apparatus for use in gripping a pipe, for holding forces, or restraining relative movement. The pipe defines an inside radius. The gripping apparatus has an outer surface where the outer surface defines a transition surface or a curve. In certain embodiments the transition surface or curve has a radius less than or equal to the inside radius of the pipe.